Abrasive
any material or substance used for grinding, polishing, etc., as emery, pumice, or sandpaper.
tending to ; causing ; .
tending to annoy or cause ill will; overly aggressive:
an abrasive personality.
Contemporary Examples
But the fractious, abrasive woman with a passion for animals was never a favorite of Mrs. Gandhi’s.
Gandhi Family Feud Shoma Chaudhury April 11, 2009
He stayed away from the gym for a while and came back transformed, abrasive and rude when he had once been polite and respectful.
Boston Suspects Tamerlan & Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, From Boxing to Bombs Michael Daly April 19, 2013
She accused Schmidt of being ‘abusive,’ ‘abrasive’ and ‘nothing short of a world-class bully.’
Sarah Palin’s Posse Pans ‘Game Change’ Before HBO Movie Airs Howard Kurtz February 26, 2012
The sound of the record, meanwhile, is ideal: not too smooth, not too abrasive.
The Band’s ‘Rock of Ages’ Is the Greatest Live Album Ever Andrew Romano October 13, 2013
In her newest EP Love Your Boyfriend, she takes the messaging of love songs and places it in an abrasive, sonic package.
From Church of Christ to Pansexual Rapper Tyler Gillespie November 27, 2014
Historical Examples
The surface to be ground is moistened with water and dusted over with a little of the abrasive.
Laboratory Manual of Glass-Blowing Francis C. Frary
Feldspar as an abrasive is used mainly in scouring soaps and window-wash.
The Economic Aspect of Geology C. K. Leith
Branches seem to be quite as cramping and abrasive under the equator as in the temperate zones.
The Land of Footprints Stewart Edward White
It has an extensive use as an abrasive for grinding and polishing.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume XIV John Lord
Corundum as an abrasive is the mineral of this name—made up of anhydrous aluminum oxide.
The Economic Aspect of Geology C. K. Leith
noun
a substance or material such as sandpaper, pumice, or emery, used for cleaning, grinding, smoothing, or polishing
adjective
causing abrasion; grating; rough
irritating in manner or personality; causing tension or annoyance
n.
“an abrasive substance,” 1853, from abrasive (adj.).
adj.
1805, from Latin abras-, past participle stem of abradere (see abrasion) + -ive. Figurative sense of “tending to provoke anger” is first recorded 1925. Related: Abrasively; abrasiveness.
abrasive a·bra·sive (ə-brā’sĭv, -zĭv)
adj.
Causing abrasion. n.
A material used to produce abrasion.
Read Also:
- Abrasively
any material or substance used for grinding, polishing, etc., as emery, pumice, or sandpaper. tending to ; causing ; . tending to annoy or cause ill will; overly aggressive: an abrasive personality. noun a substance or material such as sandpaper, pumice, or emery, used for cleaning, grinding, smoothing, or polishing adjective causing abrasion; grating; rough […]
- Abrasiveness
any material or substance used for grinding, polishing, etc., as emery, pumice, or sandpaper. tending to ; causing ; . tending to annoy or cause ill will; overly aggressive: an abrasive personality. Contemporary Examples When in disagreement, Scalia became known for the “abrasiveness of his attacks against opponents.” The Outside Game of Justice Scalia, a […]
- Abrasure
noun the act or process of abrasion Examples Happily some cracks, abrasures of the soil, and other irregularities, served the place of steps; and we descended slowly; allowing our heavy luggage to slip. Word Origin by 1820 Historical Examples He did not feel the torn skin on face and hands, nor know that a fresh […]
- Abraxas
a word of unknown significance found on charms, especially amulets, of the late Greco-Roman world and linked with both Gnostic beliefs and magical practices by the early church fathers. Historical Examples Amulets in the form of inscriptions were called “Characts,” the word abraxas being an example. Three Thousand Years of Mental Healing George Barton Cutten […]
- Abrazo
an embrace, used in greeting someone. noun a hug or embrace upon greeting or parting, esp. in Spain and Latin America Examples The abrazo given as a greeting or sign of affection devoid of sexual overtures. Word Origin Spanish term